Topic 2Basic Rules

Let these simple rules be your guide to success.

Everyone knows rules are meant to be broken. But you should try to stick to these rules as closely as possible in order to help your email marketing be more successful.

Rule 1: AKA The Golden Rule: Respect your subscribers.

Subscribers made the decision to let you talk to them. Treat them special, make them feel like they're an important part of your business (because they are) and offer them value, whether that's special deals, important information or something else. In other words, treat them like the VIPs they are.

Rule 2: Be concise.

Don't waste their time — respect it. People are bombarded with emails all day, every day. You don't have time to tell them everything in an email (and they probably don't have the time to read everything you write), so tell them the important information and provide a link for them to get more details if they want them.

Rule 3: Make it matter.

Make sure the content of your email is pertinent to your customers. Put yourself in their shoes and think about what would make you want to read your message if you were them.

Common items to include in your emails are:

Latest news

Helpful tips

Special offers

Surveys and polls

Promotional material

Rule 4: Be interesting.

You have an encyclopedic knowledge of your business. Great. But that doesn't mean your audience wants to read something as if it's out of an encyclopedia. Show readers a little of your personality. Try using a conversational tone, like you're talking to an old friend. Reward your readers, and they'll reward you in return.

TAKEAWAYS

Make your audience feel special.

Put yourself in your readers' shoes.

Let the personality of your brand shine.

Keep your message short, and provide links if necessary.

Ask if what you're telling them is relevant. If it's not, don't include it.

ACTIONABLE ITEMS

Outline key information you want to provide to help you stay on message.